CAP Program in the schools

This week our kids will be participating in the Child Assault Prevention Project at school (http://www.njcap.org/).

Did anyone go to the parents meeting about this?

I have some concerns after reading the NJ DHS Evaluation Unit at http://www.njcap.org/evaluation__research.wbp. In the executive summary it states that, in addition to the program being educational, "A unique feature of the children's workshops is the additional one-on-one review time which reinforces the program's educational message and offers children a safe setting for disclosing issues that concern them." Further in the summary it states that over half of the children participate in this one-on-one review and that the "Results indicated that review time is a key engagement outcome that resulted in the identification of 705 cases requiring outside intervention by DYFS, the police or the Institutional Abuse Unit." Finally, the summary states that the CAP program is "an effective primary prevention public education program". "Prevention public education" is a lot different than a law enforcement round up session!

OK, so I get the idea behind the whole thing. Who wants any child to be the victim of abuse? Let's educate the kids so they can better comprehend if they are in a dangerous situation and let them know who they can speak to if they are having a problem. I can agree with that.

But I do have a problem with bringing law enforcement into the schools. This one-on-one program seems to me to be nothing more than a fishing expedition in which law enforcement is trying to catch some bad guys. I understand the need to identify and catch criminals, but don't we employ people to do that - catch the bad guys? When did it become OK to round up a mass of kids and go fishing for information? Can't we simply teach the kids that they already have a guidance counselor that they can speak to if they are having problems?

I don't know, the basic idea sounds fine but the 30 minute interview time freaks me out.

justintime
November 19, 2008 10:06 am · Link

Justintime - Do the kids have to sit down one on one with an officer? How do they schedule that? My kids are not in the Hackettstown school system. Yesterday the middle school kids in Long Valley had an assembly where the town's DARE officers came in and talked to the kids about bullying. They brought up specific incidents that have occurred at both the middle school and the high school involving bullying behavior and explained the consequences of such behavior. They allowed the kids to interact and ask questions and bring up any experiences they have had in their own lives that seemed relevent. But no one was singled out and there was no "fishing expedition". I have to say that I am very comfortable with the Washington Township PD members that I know, (probably about 10 of them I know on a first name basis) as are my kids and I have no problem with them interacting with my kids.

Jan
November 19, 2008 3:11 pm · Link

justintime-

I know for a fact that at least two members of the Hackettstown Police Department, including Chief Kunz, read HackettstownLife.com regularly. I bet they all do.

If they are reading this, perhaps they can respond to your concerns.

If it is really so important to you that you are getting upset about it, why don't you call up the front desk at 852-3302. They have two receptionists, one is Emma, I don't know the other one's name yet, who can direct you to the person who will be able to answer your question.

Warm Regards,

Erik B. Anderson
Independence Township, New Jersey
Established 1782

Erik B. Anderson

November 19, 2008 3:28 pm · Link

The police dept. is not involved directly - the program is funded by DYFS and the police will be called by them should they believe there is probable cause.

I used the phrase "fishing expedition" because DYFS funds the program, and the one-on-one sessions are done by, presumably, people that have a direct line to DYFS. Call it a "sweep" if you'd like.

I suppose my concerns are because I really don't know. That's why I asked if anyone had attended the parents session.

My personal belief is that law enforcement should not be "looking for trouble", as in randomly making inquiries into "possible" crimes, especially when it comes to public schools. The possibility for error becomes magnified when children are involved, and I worry that some people will have their rights and reputations trampled simply because the kids - or worse, the people running the session - misunderstood a question or comment. If any police officers do read this thread I am certain that they could offer their own experiences about misunderstandings and circumstances that appear to be one thing but are completely another.

If you've read my posts before you'll know that I value individual liberties far more than having the government be intrusive. There are examples every day of abuses by the government, whether intentional or not, which tells me that some of those in power will exercise that power recklessly. Something like the CAP program appears to be an open door for wielding power recklessly.

Just my 2cents...

justintime
November 19, 2008 3:52 pm · Link

Which secretary is Emma?

DT
November 20, 2008 2:55 pm · Link

At the beginningof the year...I had to sign something allowing my child to participate...did you get one justintime?

Michele

November 20, 2008 2:59 pm · Link

actually, you only had to return it if you did not want your child to participate.

Michele

November 20, 2008 3:01 pm · Link

Something tells me that returning that slip was a real quick way to get on DYFS's radar screen, lol.

ianimal

November 20, 2008 3:03 pm · Link

That's true...I didn't think of that....my son did participate and got a certificate stating that he did. I honestly should have looked into it a little more. He didn't mention any interview, he didn't even bring it up until I asked him about it.

Michele

November 20, 2008 3:20 pm · Link

Michele, do you know anyone that attended the parents meeting (don't know when it was, but they definitely had one scheduled)? It would be nice if I could get some confirmation of how the sessions were handled.

justintime
November 20, 2008 3:50 pm · Link

No I did not...sorry.

Michele

November 20, 2008 4:19 pm · Link

View all Forum Topics